Tags: Health

Why Ebola Places Children at Greater Risk

MEDICINE & HEALTH The death toll of the most recent round of Ebola moved beyond 10,000 on Thursday Mar. 12, but the threat to West Africa isn't over yet, and children are at far greater risk. But it's not Ebola that health care experts are worried about now, but rather large outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases that could overrun the region.

In the Wake of Ebola—H7N9 Influenza Has Spread in Secret

In the wake of the Ebola pandemic, researchers in China have identified a virus capable of global infection that has been mutating and brewing on the sidelines. A strain of the avian influenza, the H7N9 flu emerged in eastern China in Feb. 2013 in a small population with a mortality rate of roughly 33%. But over the last year, since it reemerged in October 2013, the virus has been spreading steadily, and mutating along the way. Now public health officials fear that the growing viral infection may soon reach the levels much like the Ebola outbreak, and it is something that researchers are heavily investigating.

Genetic Markers and Immune Response Reveal Origins of PTSD

While Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become highly stigmatized as a mental health condition within the armed forces, where soldiers often return home from battle with the debilitating condition, it appears that not only may some soldiers be genetically predisposed to it—some may have immunological reactions that even make it worse. In a new study published this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, a team of researchers with the University of Southampton (UK) and University of California, San Diego have uncovered the genetic markers that could theoretically allow them to identify soldiers or patients that may be most at risk, even before they’re deployed at all.

Clearing the Questions Around PTSD—How Researchers Revealed a New Genetic Link

It’s a story not too unfamiliar in the line of duty for those in the armed forces. When faced with the traumatic experiences, dangers and death of warring nations, often those on the front line are scathed to say the least. A new study revealing the origins and genetic markers for Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may provide a glimmer of hope for soldiers suffering with the condition, but with the stigma and disbelief the general public has regarding the disorder, the battle is far from over.

Chinese Bird Flu Could Potentially Become a Pandemic

The strain of influenza that has swept across China is the second wave of bird flu to hit the country and has mutated frequently. Scientists now believe that this strain of bird flu "should be considered as a major candidate to emerge as a pandemic strain in humans."

Clearing the Questions Around PTSD—Why New Research Revealing Genetic Markers is the Discovery of a Lifetime

It’s a story not too unfamiliar in the line of duty for those in the armed forces. When faced with the traumatic experiences, dangers and death of warring nations, often those on the front line are scathed to say the least. A new study revealing the origins and genetic markers for Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may provide a glimmer of hope for soldiers suffering with the condition, but with the stigma and disbelief the general public has regarding the disorder, the battle is far from over.

New Study Found No Link Between Mental Problems and Psychedelic Drugs

Despite what you may have been led to believe about the use of psychedelic drugs and your mental health, a new study from the Norwegian University for Science and Technology at Trondheim has found that the use of LSD and other psychedelic drugs is not associated with mental health problems.

A Potent Gastronomic Invention—Powdered Alcohol Gets Approval in the United States

Ironically enough, even with the emergence of so many retro restaurants and speak-easies of the sort, gastronomy may still be the biggest hitter in the restaurant and drinks industry. Whether it’s NO2 created ice cream or bacon powder, the science and the flair really draw in the crowds. But a new potent invention may have certain states on the fence about how far they will let these gastronomists go.

State Enforced Chemo Clears Cancer—But The Teen Is Still Angry

A 17-year-old girl who initially refused treatment for a highly curable cancer was forced by the state to undergo treatment after she and her mother refused. Now, thanks to the life-saving chemotherapy she received, the teenager is now in remission and has requested to return home. And while she may be eager to go home, she's still angry about the way her case publically transpired.

Genetic Markers and Immune Response Reveal Origins of PTSD

While Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become highly stigmatized as a mental health condition within the armed forces, where soldiers often return home from battle with the debilitating condition, it appears that not only may some soldiers be genetically predisposed to it—some may have immunological reactions that even make it worse. In a new study published this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, a team of researchers with the University of Southampton (UK) and University of California, San Diego have uncovered the genetic markers that could theoretically allow them to identify soldiers or patients that may be most at risk, even before they’re deployed at all.

FDA Issues Warning for the Quit-Smoking Drug Chantix

Chantix has helped many people quit smoking in the years since its release. However, on Monday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the quit-smoking drug made by Pfizer Inc. According to the FDA, the drug has been associated with seizures and that some patients who drink while taking the drug may become aggressive or even black out.

Treatment for Depression Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

In a three-year study of 5,000 patients suffering from moderate to severe depression, those treated with antidepressants showed lower rates of death due to coronary artery disease and stroke compared to those who did not take the medication.

Divorce Chance Increases if Wife Has Serious Illness

Researchers at Iowa State University and Purdue discovered that married couples are more likely to divorce if a wife gets sick, compared to when a wife remains healthy. However, they were not able to determine who initiates the divorce.

Oxygen May Boost Immune Cells Fighting Cancer

Researchers might have discovered another new weapon in the fight against cancer -- oxygen. In a new study in mice. researchers found that something as simple as breathing in extra oxygen might give immune cells the boost they need to attack cancer cells in the body.

Superbug Infects 4 Patients at a Second Los Angeles Hospital

Four patients have been infected with an antibiotic-resistant "superbug" at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The superbug in questions has been linked to a type of medical scope that is used on more than a half-million people in the United States each year.

Flu Only Infects Adults Twice a Decade

While the dangers of the flu may make headlines every flu season, researchers have calculated that adults over the age of 30 only catch the flu about once every five years.

Disneyland Measles Outbreak Could Result in Tougher Laws

In the past it has been easy for parents who did not wish to vaccinate their children to obtain an exemption. In many cases it only required the signing of a piece of paper. However, such exclusions may not be so easy to obtain in the future thanks to this year's highly publicized Disneyland measles outbreak.

Research Discovers Biological Cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

For many years physicians believed chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to be a complicated psychological disorder and not an actual biological one. However, researchers have now found evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome is a result of immunological dysfunction, meaning that it is, in fact, a biological illness after all.

Suicide Rates Among Older Adults Are Rising

A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has revealed that the suicide rate of older adults ranging in age between 40 and 64 in the United States has risen by approximately 40% since 1999.

New Treatment for Migraines Could Bring Much Needed Relief

A new, relatively simple treatment has been developed to ease the pain experienced by those who suffer from migraines. The procedure delivers anesthetic lidocaine directly to the nerves in the back of the nasal cavity, and preliminary research indicates it could offer significant pain relief to migraine sufferers.
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